Genetic Patenting Row Looms Over WTO Talks
11/22/99
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Title: Developing World Accuses US, Europe of 'Bio-piracy'
Source: GUARDIAN (London)
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: November 22, 1999
Byline: John Vidal
A major row is threatening to break out at the opening of the World
Trade Organisation's talks in Seattle next week over the patenting of
the genetic make-up of plants and animals to develop new drugs.
The US and Europe insist that corporations should be allowed to
patent all plants and animals despite existing international laws and
understandings which provide for protection of natural resources.
India, Malaysia, Zimbabwe and other African and Latin American
countries have accused the US and Europe of "bio-piracy". The Indians
are particularly worried because US and European corporations have
started to patent their traditional herbal medecines.
In heated backroom talks in Geneva designed to iron out differences
before the inter-governmental meeting, Mike Moore, the head of the
organisation responsible for setting the world's trading laws, is
reported to have dismissed developing countries' objections by saying
that the WTO overrides all other international treaties.
The US/EU proposals would force all countries to broaden their
patenting laws, but the developing countries are resisting strongly.
They say that patents on all life forms should be excluded from the
negotiations of the Trade Related Intellectual Property (Trips)
agreement which is scheduled for renegotiation in the talks.
If that is not possible, they argue that patents should be excluded
for products and processes based on traditional knowledge. The gap
between the two blocs is now extreme with the US and Europe
responding that wider patents will improve health care and stimulate
wealth.
More than 500 non-governmental groups from more than 50 countries
have written to President Clinton urging the US to temper its
patenting demands. They are not likely to succeed because the
powerful US biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries have long
wanted global patenting laws based on the US model.
The problem which the US must overcome is that the patenting
proposals clash with other international laws. Another sticking point
is agriculture, with the rich countries trying to force a further
opening up of markets to their goods. The developing world, say India
and others, must be allowed to protect and support their farmers up
to the point of self-sufficiency.
Prospects for the Seattle talks setting an agreed agenda are not
considered high. "I have never seen such confusion in 21 years of
international talks," says trade analyst Chakrabathi Raghavan in
Geneva.